How to Get Money to Pay for Your HIV Medication

Treatment can be expensive but there are programs that will lower the cost, sometimes even making meds free

By Trudy Ring

HIV meds are often expensive, but even if you don’t have private insurance or a low enough income to qualify for Medicaid, there are other programs that can help you pay. Also, if you are insured but have a high co-pay, help is available for that as well.

The Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare, requires insurers to provide prescription drug coverage, whether it’s a policy you buy through the ACA marketplace or (in most cases)another plan, such as insurance provided by your employer. They also must cover at least one drug in every class and count your out-of-pocket drug costs — usually meaning co-pays — toward your lifetime cap on out-of-pocket expenses. The ACA marketplace has made coverage available to millions of previously uninsured Americans, as has Medicaid expansion, enacted through the ACA and a related bill. Find more information at Healthcare.gov.

Also, the federally created, state-managed AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) can help uninsured or underinsured people pay for their HIV medications. The requirements vary by state, but typically you have to be a resident, have HIV, and earn less than a certain amount per year, calculated as a percentage of the federal poverty level.

Following is a guide to ADAP income requirements and contact information. Each state’s Maximum Qualifying Income (MQI) to be in ADAP is shown as a percentage of the federal poverty level as well as the dollar amount for a one-person household (for 2015, in the 48 contiguous states the federal poverty level for one person is $11,770; add $4,160 per family member).

ALABAMA

Website: adph.org/aids

Phone: (334) 206-5364

MQI: 250% or $29,425

ALASKA

Website: bit.ly/ALASKAadap

(907) 452-4222

MQI: 300% or $44,160

ARIZONA

Website: bit.ly/ARIZadap

Phone: (800) 334-1540

MQI: 300% or $35,310

ARKANSAS

Website: bit.ly/ARadap

Phone: (501) 661-2408

MQI: 200% or $23,540

CALIFORNIA

Website: bit.ly/CAadap

Phone: (916) 449-5900

MQI: less than $50,000

COLORADO

Website: bit.ly/COadap

Phone: (303) 692-2716

MQI: 400% or $47,080

CONNECTICUT

Website: bit.ly/CTadap

Phone: (800) 233-2503

MQI: 400% or $47,080

DELAWARE

Website: bit.ly/DEadap

Phone: (302) 744-1050

MQI: 500% or $58,350

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Website: bit.ly/DCadap

Phone: (202) 671-4900

MQI: 500% or $58,850

FLORIDA

Website: floridaADAP.org

Phone: (800) 352-2437

MQI: 400% or $47,080

GEORGIA

Website: bit.ly/GEORGIAadap

Phone: (404) 657-3100

MQI: 300% or $35,310

HAWAII

Website: bit.ly/adapHawaii

Phone: (808) 586-4400

MQI:  400% or $54,200

IDAHO

Website: safesex.idaho.gov

Phone: (208) 334-6527

MQI: 200% or $23,540

ILLINOIS

Website: bit.ly/ILLadap

Phone: (217) 782-4977

MQI: 300% or $35,310

INDIANA

Website: bit.ly/indianaADAP

Phone: (866) 588-4948

MQI: 300% or $35,210

IOWA

Website: bit.ly/iowaADAP

Phone: (515) 281-0926

MQI: 200% or $23,540

KANSAS

Website: bit.ly/KANadap

Phone: (785) 368-8218

MQI: 300% or $35,310

KENTUCKY

Website: bit.ly/kentuckyADAP

Phone: (866) 510-0005

MQI: 300% or $35,310

LOUISIANA

Website: hiv.dhh.louisiana.gov

Phone: (504) 568-7474

MQI: 300% or $35,310

MAINE

Website: bit.ly/MEadap

Phone: (207) 287-3747

MQI: $55,850, add $3,960 per dependent

MARYLAND

Website: bit.ly/MDadap

Phone: (800) 205-6308

MQI: 500% or $58,850

MASSACHUSETTS

Website: crine.org/hdap/

Phone: (800) 228-2714

MQI: 500% or $58,850

MICHIGAN

Website: michigan.gov/dap

Phone: (888) 826-6565

MQI: 450% or $52,965

MINNESOTA

Website: bit.ly/minnesotaADAP

Phone: (800) 657-3761

MQI: 300% or $35,310

MISSISSIPPI

Website: bit.ly/mississippiADAP

Phone: (601) 362-4850

MQI: 400% or $47,080

MISSOURI

Website: bit.ly/missouriADAP

Phone: (866) 628-9891

MQI: 300% or $35,310

MONTANA

Website: bit.ly/montanaADAP

Phone: (406) 444-4744

MQI: 330% or $38,841

NEBRASKA

Website: bit.ly/NEadap

Phone: (402) 559-4673

MQI:  200% or $23,540

NEVADA

Website: bit.ly/nevadaADAP

Phone: (775) 684-4247

MQI: 400% or $47,080

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Website: bit.ly/NHadap

Phone: (603) 271-4502

MQI: 300% or $35,310

NEW JERSEY

Website: bit.ly/newjerseyADAP

Phone: (877) 613-4533

MQI: 500% or $58,850

NEW MEXICO

Website: nmhivguide.org

Phone: (505) 827-2435  

MQI: 400% or $47,080

NEW YORK

Website: bit.ly/adapNewYork

Phone: (800) 542-2437

MQI: 435% or $51,199

NORTH CAROLINA

Website: bit.ly/adapNCar

Phone: (877) 466-2232

MQI: 300% or $35,310

NORTH DAKOTA

Website: ndhealth.gov/HIV

Phone: (800) 472-2180

MQI: 300% or $35,310

OHIO

Website: bit.ly/OHadap

Phone: (800) 777-4775

MQI: 300% or $35,310

OKLAHOMA

Website: bit.ly/OKADAP

Phone: (405) 271-4636

MQI: 200% or $23,540

OREGON

Website: bit.ly/oregonADAP

Phone: (800) 805-2313

MQI: 400% or $47,080

PENNSYLVANIA

Website: bit.ly/PennADAP

Phone: (800) 922-9384

MQI: 500% or $58,850

RHODE ISLAND

Website: bit.ly/RhodeIslandADAP

Phone: (401) 462-3294

MQI: 400% or $47,080

SOUTH CAROLINA

Website: bit.ly/SCadap

Phone: (800) 569-9954

MQI: 300% or $35,310

SOUTH DAKOTA

Website: bit.ly/SDakADAP

Phone: (605) 773-3737

MQI: 300% or $35,310

TENNESSEE

Website: bit.ly/TNadap

Phone: (615) 532-2392

MQI: 300% or $35,310

TEXAS

Website: bit.ly/texasADAP

Phone: (800) 255-1090

MQI: 200% or $23,540

UTAH

Website: bit.ly/utahADAP

Phone: (801) 538-6197

MQI: 250% or $29,425

VERMONT

Website: bit.ly/vermontADAP

Phone: (802) 863-7245

MQI: 500% or $58,850

VIRGINIA

Website: bit.ly/virginiaADAP

Phone: (855) 362-0658

MQI: 400% or $47,080

WASHINGTON

Website: bit.ly/WAadap

Phone: (360) 236-3426

MQI: 400% or $47,080

WEST VIRGINIA

Website: bit.ly/WestVAADAP

Phone: (304) 558-2195

MQI: 400% or $47,080

WISCONSIN

Website: bit.ly/WIadap

Phone: (800) 991-5532

MQI: 300% or $35,310

WYOMING

Website: bit.ly/WYadap

Phone: (307) 777-5856

MQI: $40,150-$45,100,

depending on county

ADAP also covers Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Pacific Island Territories.

Visit bit.ly/HHSadap for more information.